Veiled Intentions

Veiled Intentions
Delores Fossen

SAYING "I DO" HAD NEVER BEEN SO DANGEROUS…She bet her badge and her honor when she bent the rules to hunt the deadly sniper who'd declared open season on newlyweds. Now police detective Katelyn O'Malley would answer to hotshot Sergeant Joe Rico, her new boss - and temporary fiance.OR SO DESIRABLEJoe had a plan to draw the sniper out - by dangling his and Katelyn's very public whirlwind "marriage" as bait. But in private, the line between pretense and passion blurred. And as duty and desire tangled them in a web of escalating danger, they raced to discover if the killer had spun the deadliest trap of all….

“I think you’ll regret doing this.”

“Oh yeah?” Katelyn caught his shoulder and turned him around. She positioned his hands, palms flat, against the wall and patted him down. “I doubt it, since it might just save a few people from dying.”

The man was certainly solid. And built. Her fingers skimmed over lots of hard, sinewy muscles. Odd. She’d never noticed anything like that before when frisking a subject. Maybe it had something to do with his memorable aftershave.

She located his wallet. Except she realized it wasn’t a wallet. She flipped open the too-familiar case and read the name aloud. “Joseph Rico.”

“Sergeant Joe Rico,” he clarified, and turned back around to face her. “Homicide. SAPD.”

Katelyn’s breath landed somewhere around that knot in her stomach.

Sergeant Rico moved her out of the doorway and turned to leave, delivering the rest of his news from over his shoulder. “Oh, and by the way, I’m your new boss.”

Dear Harlequin Intrigue Reader,

Temperatures are rising this month at Harlequin Intrigue! So whether our mesmerizing men of action are steaming up their love lives or packing heat in high-stakes situations, July’s lineup is guaranteed to sizzle!

Back by popular demand is the newest branch of our Confidential series. Meet the heroes of NEW ORLEANS CONFIDENTIAL—tough undercover operatives who will stop at nothing to rid the streets of a crime ring tied to the most dangerous movers and shakers in town. USA TODAY bestselling author Rebecca York launches the series with Undercover Encounter—a darkly sensual tale about a secret agent who uses every resource at his disposal to get his former flame out alive when she goes deep undercover in the sultry French Quarter.

The highly acclaimed Gayle Wilson returns to the lineup with Sight Unseen. In book three of PHOENIX BROTHERHOOD, it’s a race against time to prevent a powerful terrorist organization from unleashing unspeakable harm. Prepare to become entangled in Velvet Ropes by Patricia Rosemoor—book three in CLUB UNDERCOVER—when a clandestine investigation plunges a couple into danger….

Our sassy inline continuity SHOTGUN SALLYS ends with a bang! You won’t want to miss Lawful Engagement by Linda O. Johnston. In Cassie Miles’s newest Harlequin Intrigue title—Protecting the Innocent—a widow trapped in a labyrinth of evil brings out the Achilles’ heel in a duplicitous man of mystery.

Delores Fossen’s newest thriller is not to be missed. Veiled Intentions arouses searing desires when two bickering cops pose as doting fiancés in their pursuit of a deranged sniper!

Enjoy our explosive lineup this month!

Denise O’Sullivan

Senior Editor, Harlequin Intrigue

Veiled Intentions

Delores Fossen

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Imagine a family tree that includes Texas cowboys, Choctaw and Cherokee Indians, a Louisiana pirate and a Scottish rebel who battled side by side with William Wallace. With ancestors like that, it’s easy to understand why Texas author and former air force captain Delores Fossen feels as if she was genetically predisposed to writing romances. Along the way to fulfilling her DNA destiny, Delores married an air force top gun who just happens to be of Viking descent. With all those romantic bases covered, she doesn’t have to look too far for inspiration.

CAST OF CHARACTERS

Sergeant Joe Rico—One of San Antonio PD’s finest, he’s put in charge of collaring a high-profile sniper who goes after newlyweds. What Joe hadn’t counted on was the intense attraction to his new partner and undercover fiancée, Katelyn.

Detective Katelyn O’Malley—She’s trying to earn a name for herself in the department, so the last thing she’s looking for is a personal involvement with Joe. But it’s hard to push aside the hot Latino cop when their undercover assignment forces them together night and day.

Addison Merrick—The owner of the Perfect Match Agency. Is he murdering his own clients to lash out at his fiancée for ending their engagement?

Fiona Shipley—A frequent client at Perfect Match. She was rebuffed by the grooms who became the sniper’s targets.

Bruce Donovan—Perfect Match employee with a history of violent behavior. He claims he’s trying to help catch the sniper, but maybe he’s just trying to cover his own tracks.

Dr. Allen Kent—The ex-husband of the first murdered bride. Is his connection to Perfect Match simply a coincidence, or is he really the sniper?

Lieutenant Brayden O’Malley—Head of Homicide and Katelyn’s brother. He wants his sister to succeed but fears she’s in over her head with both the sniper case and Joe.

For Don and Orloene

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen